As an amendment to motion S5M-19715 in the name of Jamie Greene (The Resilience of Scotland's Ferry Network), leave out from "notes its growing concern" to end and insert "recognises the improving performance of the ferry services that are directly supported by the Scottish Government; acknowledges the inconvenience that disruption can cause, but notes that only 873, or 0.67%, of the 130,184 sailings on Scottish Government-subsidised ferry services have been cancelled due to technical reasons in 2019; commends the hard-working and dedicated staff and crew in delivering these reliability improvements; notes the improvements, including new routes, more sailings and lower fares, that have helped drive passenger growth on an annual basis, with these ferry services now carrying over six million passengers, or an increase of some 16.1% since 2012; acknowledges that, despite facing real-terms funding reductions by the UK Government, the Scottish Government has invested more than £2 billion in ferry services and infrastructure since 2007; notes that investment has been made in accordance with the published Vessel Replacement and Deployment Plan and that the next Ferries Plan will be taken forward following the finalisation of the National Transport Strategy and in parallel with the Strategic Transport Projects Review, and notes that, in the context of the need for renewal of the fleet, the Scottish Government has continued to support vessel investment and the commercial shipbuilding sector in Scotland through the construction of the MV Glen Sannox and Hull 802 at Ferguson Marine and through public ownership of the yard, which is supported by the trade unions, and will work to safeguard and create shipbuilding jobs at the yard."

As an amendment to motion S5M-19715 in the name of Jamie Greene (The Resilience of Scotland's Ferry Network), leave out from "notes its growing concern" to end and insert "recognises the improving performance of the ferry services that are directly supported by the Scottish Government; acknowledges the inconvenience that disruption can cause, but notes that only 873, or 0.67%, of the 130,184 sailings on Scottish Government-subsidised ferry services have been cancelled due to technical reasons in 2019; commends the hard-working and dedicated staff and crew in delivering these reliability improvements; notes the improvements, including new routes, more sailings and lower fares, that have helped drive passenger growth on an annual basis, with these ferry services now carrying over six million passengers, or an increase of some 16.1% since 2012; acknowledges that, despite facing real-terms funding reductions by the UK Government, the Scottish Government has invested more than £2 billion in ferry services and infrastructure since 2007; notes that investment has been made in accordance with the published Vessel Replacement and Deployment Plan and that the next Ferries Plan will be taken forward following the finalisation of the National Transport Strategy and in parallel with the Strategic Transport Projects Review, and notes that, in the context of the need for renewal of the fleet, the Scottish Government has continued to support vessel investment and the commercial shipbuilding sector in Scotland through the construction of the MV Glen Sannox and Hull 802 at Ferguson Marine and through public ownership of the yard, which is supported by the trade unions, and will work to safeguard and create shipbuilding jobs at the yard."

Supported by: Michael Matheson

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 06/11/2019

That the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee recommends that the Additional Powers Request (Scotland) Regulations 2019 [draft] be approved.

That the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee recommends that the Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc.) Order 2019 [draft] be approved.

Supported by: Michael Matheson

Current Status: Fallen on 19/06/2019

As an amendment to motion S5M-14720 in the name of Colin Smyth (ScotRail Break Clause), leave out from “believes” to end and insert “notes that the punctuality and reliability of ScotRail’s services continue to be below the Scottish Government contractual performance targets; recognises that both responsible parties for the effective operation of Scotland’s rail network, Network Rail and ScotRail, are delivering as their combined priority the implementation of a suite of system-wide actions as recommended in the review by Nick Donovan; further recognises that the Scottish Government has secured the right for a public sector body to bid to run Scotland’s rail services, but also notes that the majority of rail performance problems in Scotland are the direct responsibility of Network Rail, and calls on the UK Government to take the opportunity in its Rail Review to devolve authority for rail infrastructure to Scotland, so that responsibility for this rests with the Scottish Parliament."

As an amendment to motion S5M-14720 in the name of Colin Smyth (ScotRail Break Clause), leave out from “believes” to end and insert “notes that the punctuality and reliability of ScotRail’s services continue to be below the Scottish Government contractual performance targets; recognises that both responsible parties for the effective operation of Scotland’s rail network, Network Rail and ScotRail, are delivering as their combined priority the implementation of a suite of system-wide actions as recommended in the review by Nick Donovan; further recognises that the Scottish Government has secured the right for a public sector body to bid to run Scotland’s rail services, but also notes that the majority of rail performance problems in Scotland are the direct responsibility of Network Rail, and calls on the UK Government to take the opportunity in its Rail Review to devolve authority for rail infrastructure to Scotland, so that responsibility for this rests with the Scottish Parliament."

Supported by: Michael Matheson

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14/11/2018

As an amendment to motion S5M-14520 in the name of Jamie Greene (Concern Over the State of Scotland's Ferry Services), leave out from "raises" to end and insert "notes the concerns regarding the provision of Scotland’s lifeline ferry services to island and rural communities and acknowledges the frustration to customers in the event of service failures; further acknowledges the significant actions that have been taken to address those concerns to support the continued socioeconomic development of Scotland’s remote and island communities; recognises the commendable work of ferry operators’ crew and staff in maintaining high levels of performance; notes the ongoing review of investment plans and priorities, including the development of an action plan to further address resilience issues on the Clyde and Hebrides network; recognises the continued significant levels of investment in upgraded infrastructure; acknowledges the commitment to an inclusive approach to vessel design and procurement, which includes communities, public sector partners and trade unions, and acknowledges the positive contribution that ferries procurement is making to Scotland’s ambitious strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated by its ferry operations."

As an amendment to motion S5M-14520 in the name of Jamie Greene (Concern Over the State of Scotland's Ferry Services), leave out from "raises" to end and insert "notes the concerns regarding the provision of Scotland’s lifeline ferry services to island and rural communities and acknowledges the frustration to customers in the event of service failures; further acknowledges the significant actions that have been taken to address those concerns to support the continued socioeconomic development of Scotland’s remote and island communities; recognises the commendable work of ferry operators’ crew and staff in maintaining high levels of performance; notes the ongoing review of investment plans and priorities, including the development of an action plan to further address resilience issues on the Clyde and Hebrides network; recognises the continued significant levels of investment in upgraded infrastructure; acknowledges the commitment to an inclusive approach to vessel design and procurement, which includes communities, public sector partners and trade unions, and acknowledges the positive contribution that ferries procurement is making to Scotland’s ambitious strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated by its ferry operations."

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31/10/2018

That the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee recommends that the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Amendment Order 2018 [draft] be approved.

That the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee recommends that the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Amendment Order 2018 [draft] be approved.

Supported by: Michael Matheson

Current Status: Fallen on 28/11/2018

That the Parliament agrees with the Scottish Government’s position of not supporting the development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland; endorses the government's decision to introduce an immediate and effective ban on onshore unconventional oil and gas developments using its devolved powers in line with the Scottish Ministers’ statutory responsibilities, and notes that this position will be subject to a strategic environmental assessment before being finalised.

That the Parliament agrees with the Scottish Government’s position of not supporting the development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland; endorses the government's decision to introduce an immediate and effective ban on onshore unconventional oil and gas developments using its devolved powers in line with the Scottish Ministers’ statutory responsibilities, and notes that this position will be subject to a strategic environmental assessment before being finalised.

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24/10/2017

That the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee recommends that the Scotland Act 1998 (Insolvency Functions) Order 2017 [draft]be approved.

That the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee recommends that the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Amendment Order 2017 [draft] be approved.

Current Status: Fallen on 29/11/2017

That the Parliament recognises the important work carried out by the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative in assisting workers facing redundancy to find alternative employment and to minimise the time that people affected by redundancy are out of work; understands that the overriding goal of Scottish Government policy and the actions of its agencies is to work with employers and trade unions to support sustainable growth in good quality jobs; endorses the work of the Ministerial PACE Partnership, which brings 21 organisations together with the Scottish Government to oversee a continuous improvement programme to enhance the operation of PACE, and welcomes the continued involvement of the trades union movement in Scotland in its governance.

That the Parliament recognises the important work carried out by the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative in assisting workers facing redundancy to find alternative employment and to minimise the time that people affected by redundancy are out of work; understands that the overriding goal of Scottish Government policy and the actions of its agencies is to work with employers and trade unions to support sustainable growth in good quality jobs; endorses the work of the Ministerial PACE Partnership, which brings 21 organisations together with the Scottish Government to oversee a continuous improvement programme to enhance the operation of PACE, and welcomes the continued involvement of the trades union movement in Scotland in its governance.

To ask the Scottish Government how many convictions there have been each year under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 for causing unnecessary suffering, and what proportion of those convicted received a (a) disqualification and (b) deprivation order.

Answered byKenny MacAskill
(03/09/2012):

The available information is given in the following table.

People Convicted under Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 20061

Section of Act:

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

SECTION 19(1)

0

5

14

17

13

SECTION 19(2)

2

38

51

87

58

SECTION 19(3)

0

1

0

0

1

SECTION 20(1)(A)

0

2

0

0

1

SECTION 20(1)(B)

0

1

2

0

1

SECTION 20(2)

0

0

3

1

2

SECTION 24

0

6

6

8

5

SECTION 25(7)

0

0

1

0

0

SECTION 29(1)(A)(B)

0

0

0

1

0

SECTION 29(2)(A) & (B)

1

7

2

4

1

SECTION 40(11)

0

0

1

3

2

All

3

60

80

121

84

Percentage receiving disqualification orders1,2

0.0%

8.3%

6.3%

14.9%

15.5%

Note:

1. Where main charge.

2. Data on disqualification orders are not published routinely as part of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland bulletin, however, the data has been analysed for accuracy. The data is gathered from the same source as the convictions data.

There was no deprivation orders issued.

Information for 2011-12 will not be available until publication of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2011-12 Statistical Bulletin. This is due to be published in November 2012.

The dates of all Scottish Government Official and National Statistics publications are pre-announced, and the up to date list of future publications can be found at:

To ask the Scottish Government how many convictions there have been each year under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 for causing unnecessary suffering, and what proportion of those convicted received a (a) disqualification and (b) deprivation order.

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to shorten the diagnosis time for Dystonia, which, according to the Dystonia Society, can take up to four years.

Answered byNicola Sturgeon
(21/05/2012):

We want to ensure that everyone living with a neurological condition, including dystonia, are diagnosed as quickly as possible so they can receive access to care and support they need, when they need it.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland has developed clinical standards for neurological health services, including generic standards which are applicable to people living with dystonia. Implementation of the standards dealing with the early part of the patient journey, including access to specialist neurological services, will help to ensure people with dystonia receive a timely diagnosis.

We have provided NHS boards with funding of around £1.2 million over the last two years to assist them in developing local improvement groups as the main vehicles for implementing the standards and driving further improvements within neurological services across Scotland.

The Scottish Government is also actively consulting with the Scottish population on a draft UK plan on rare diseases to help understand how the healthcare needs of people living with rare conditions can be met. The consultation can be accessed via the following link:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/02/consultation-rare-diseases/.

Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 21/05/2012

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to shorten the diagnosis time for Dystonia, which, according to the Dystonia Society, can take up to four years.

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it (a) is taking, (b) could take, and (c) will take to raise awareness of Dystonia amongst public sector agencies and wider society.

Answered byNicola Sturgeon
(21/05/2012):

NHSScotland has invested in online resources such as the NHS Inform website, which provides clear and accessible information on the causes, symptoms and diagnosis of dystonia. This can be accessed at the following link:

People living with dystonia also have an important role in raising awareness of their condition and can often be the wider public’s first source of information. This role is being strengthened through the Neurological Alliance of Scotland’s “Neurological Voices” programme which prepares adults living with neurological conditions and their carers to get involved in developing local healthcare services. To date the Scottish Government has invested over £100,000 in the Neurological Voices programme, to help raise awareness and ensure that the patient voice is heard.

In 2010, we provided the Dystonia Society with a Section 16B grant of £46,500 over three years to assist with disseminating the Society’s self management course which supports people living with dystonia to self manage the condition and play a more active role in discussions with health and social care professionals about their care.

To help raise awareness amongst healthcare professionals the Dystonia Society has launched an online training module for GPs through the British Medical Journal’s learning programme, with more than 3,000 healthcare professionals accessing the module in the first year. In addition, a “Guide to Good Practice for healthcare professionals” was launched in October of last year. The guide was developed with the help of leading Neurologists, Dystonia Nurses and therapists and is being issued to treatment centres throughout Scotland.

We also have a good working relationship with the Neurological Alliance of Scotland, of which the Dystonia Society is a member, which aims to raise awareness of all neurological conditions and which has been a key partner in Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s Neurological Standards Improvement Programme.

Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 21/05/2012

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it (a) is taking, (b) could take, and (c) will take to raise awareness of Dystonia amongst public sector agencies and wider society.

To ask the Scottish Government what provisions are in place across all NHS boards for diagnosing and treating Dystonia.

Answered byNicola Sturgeon
(21/05/2012):

A key way of improving healthcare services is by implementing clinical standards. Healthcare Improvement Scotland has developed clinical standards for neurological health services, including generic standards which are applicable to people living with dystonia. Implementation of the standards dealing with the early part of the patient journey, including access to specialist neurological services, will help to ensure people with dystonia receive timely diagnosis and treatment.

We have provided NHS boards with funding of around £1.2 million over the last two years to assist them in developing local improvement groups as the main vehicles for implementing the standards and driving further improvements within neurological services across Scotland. Good progress is being made, although there is more to do.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s two-year Neurological Service Improvement programme came to an end recently in March. We wish to see NHS boards continue to work together with the voluntary sector to build on the progress made and put service improvement on a sustainable footing.

The Scottish Government has therefore provided the Neurological Alliance of Scotland, of which the Dystonia Society is a member, with £40,000, to establish a National Advisory Group, which we hope will oversee and support boards as they take their improvement plans forward.

Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 21/05/2012

To ask the Scottish Government what provisions are in place across all NHS boards for diagnosing and treating Dystonia.

To ask the Scottish Executive what legislative consent motions it will lodge in connection with the legislative programme to be announced in the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012.

Answered byBruce Crawford
(09/05/2012):

In accordance with the Sewel Convention, the UK Parliament does not legislate with regard to devolved matters in Scotland without the consent of the Scottish Parliament.

This is an important part of the devolution settlement, which acknowledges the special constitutional position of the Scottish Parliament and the democratic mandate conferred on this Parliament by the people of Scotland. In the view of the Scottish Government, the Sewel Convention will remain an essential part of the constitution of the UK for as long as the UK Parliament retains its current powers and functions in relation to Scotland.

In the normal course of business, legislation on devolved matters should be scrutinised and determined in the Scottish Parliament. There may however be situations in which it is helpful and appropriate for legislation dealing with devolved matters to be taken forward at Westminster.

The Scottish Government is committed to assessing opportunities of this kind on their merits and to working closely and constructively with the UK Government, on a case by case basis, to deliver legislation which best meets Scotland’s needs. The Scottish Government is equally committed to working with the UK Government to pursue opportunities to extend devolved competence.

The formal consent of the Scottish Parliament is required in relation to all proposals for Westminster primary legislation on devolved matters, including alterations to devolved competence, in accordance with Chapter 9B of Standing Orders.

Within the legislative programme announced today by the UK Government, we have identified potential opportunities to legislate for the benefit of Scotland on matters that are within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament or which alter legislative or executive competence.

The UK bills which we currently expect to give rise to Legislative Consent Motions in the Scottish Parliament cover:

Energy Bill – to address Reform of the Electricity Market following the DECC White Paper published last year. The intention is to ensure a secure electricity supply, investment in low carbon technologies and to minimise costs.

The Scottish Government will, in due course, lodge memoranda and motions for these bills, once they have been introduced in the UK Parliament. It will then be for the Scottish Parliament to determine whether to give or withhold consent.

It is possible that further opportunities to legislate for Scotland by means of Legislative Consent Motion may occur in connection with other UK bills, including Private Member’s bills. Any additional proposals of this kind, together with any relevant amendments to the government bills listed above, will be drawn to the attention of the Parliament as they arise, in line with the requirements of Standing Orders.

Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Executive. Answered by Bruce Crawford on 09/05/2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what legislative consent motions it will lodge in connection with the legislative programme to be announced in the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012.

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the speed limits on A-roads.

Answered byKeith Brown
(16/05/2012):

In 2006, the Scottish Government issued guidance to local authorities on setting local speed limits. Authorities were asked to review speed limits on all A and B class roads in their area by the end of 2011. Transport Scotland has in parallel been reviewing speed limits on the trunk road network.

Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 16/05/2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the speed limits on A-roads.